Love Ignited
by WrittenVisions
Summary: After facing her mother's killer, and while awaiting the arrival of Sozin's Comet, Katara finds herself more and more drawn to Zuko. And the Firebender finds himself enchanted by the strong and determined Waterbender. Soon an inner fire is ignited within them both as they explore the emotions in their hearts. But with obstacle after obstacle, can their romance last? Time will tell.
1. Chapter 1 - Inner Fire

Chapter 1 - Inner Fire

The evening after Katara faced her mother's killer, she tossed and turned in her bed. Sleep was impossible to find.

Finally she realized she would never fall asleep while still thinking about the events of the past several days, and decided to take a walk along the beach.

The night air was refreshing and Katara enjoyed the solitude. After she and Zuko had returned to the group, she had hardly had a moment to herself.

Aang was always hovering close by, in case she needed comfort. Sokka was never far away, though after Katara and Zuko recounted their journey to everyone he had been very quiet, registering the information that the man who had taken his mother from him was indeed still alive.

And possibly he was trying to be glad that another life had not been taken.

Suki was with him, though she had offered to spend time with Katara if she needed someone to talk to.

Katara had smiled, but dismissed the offer. She wasn't ready to talk about it yet. And when the story had been recounted for everyone, Katara and Zuko had silently agreed to leave out certain details, such as the Bloodbending.

Katara didn't want to discuss that with anyone.

Toph hadn't offered anything more than a light punch on the arm, and Katara was greatful that at least one of her friends had left her alone.

Though Zuko had been keeping his distance since they returned to the group. Perhaps he too just wanted some time away from everyone.

After a short time of walking along the sandy shore, Katara came upon an outcropping of rocks, and in the light of the full moon, she saw a single solitary figure sitting among them.

She wasn't frightened, for when she had exited the house she had noticed that Zuko's bedroom door was open, and the room was empty.

She hesitated on the damp sand for only a moment before she approached the rocks. She made her way to the largest boulder, the one where Zuko sat and gazed upon the oceans tide silently.

Without speaking a word, Katara sat down next to him. She no longer felt the need to keep her distance from the Firebender. He had more than proven himself trustworthy.

After several moments, Zuko turned his head to look at Katara. Their eyes met. She had been staring at him, watching as he remained as still as the stone around them.

"You should be asleep", he said after a moment. His voice cracked a bit.

Probably from the cool night air, Katara thought.

"I'm a Waterbender. When the full moon is up, so am I", she answered him.

He nodded, but didn't take his eyes away from hers.

"You were very brave today", he said suddenly. "I underestimated your strength."

"No, you didn't", she said somberly. "It would have been all too easy to let one of those spikes continue flying. To let it pierce him through..."

"No", Zuko interrupted her, "That's not what I meant at all."

He was silent for a moment and Katara waited for him to continue. As she gazed at him, she realized his eyes were shining in the moonlight. Tears were welling up in his eyes as he spoke again.

"You had the strength to stop yourself from killing him. To stop yourself from becoming something you're not." He shook his head slowly and looked down, finally breaking eye contact with Katara. "You have no idea how strong that makes you..."

As he trailed off his tears began to overflow, and they carved glistening lines down his cheeks. Katara reached out and touched his shoulder gently. "Zuko?", she asked. "What's wrong?"

He continued to look away, but he answered her. "My mother..." he began but had to pause.

He was ashamed of the weakness he was showing. Especially because it was Katara who was with him, he didn't want her to see him like that.

But at the same time, he knew that he wouldn't have let himself fall apart in front of anyone else, except maybe his Uncle.

He would have yelled at anyone else and stormed off angrily so he could be emotional in private. But the fact that it was Katara by his side, with a hand on his shoulder, asking if he was alright, is what made him able to continue speaking.

"My mother disappeared when I was a child", he finally began.

And with that, he started to tell her of his past. He told her of how his mother had been taken or killed, and how no one would answer his questions. He told the painful story of the years he had lived in fear that Ozai would one day do to him what he had done to his mother.

He even told her how he had gotten his scar. A story that those outside of the Fire Nation were not familiar with. Most only knew of his banishment, and those who crossed his path had assumed his scar was from a training accident.

An accident and nothing more. Not the punishment it had truly been.

Katara listened in silence and shock, tears gathering in her own eyes. She had never known just how much he had been through.

When Zuko had been quiet for several minutes, Katara broke the silence. "Oh Zuko", she said as she leaned forward and wrapped him in a warm and comforting embrace. "I'm so sorry."

Zuko could feel his heart speed up at the sudden unexpected contact. He hoped Katara wouldn't notice, or would attribute it to his words.

He could feel a comforting warmth eminating from her. It was a pleasant thing, to have someone hold him.

There he was, breaking down in front of the young woman he had watched be so strong for so long, and all it took for him to lose his painful train of thought and become calm once again, were her arms around him...

He leaned into her embrace.

"For years I thought of ways I could make him tell me what he had done", he whispered. "

"Did you ever comfront him?", Katara asked quietly.

Zuko chuckled, which surprised Katara.

"No", he said. "I didn't."

And after a silent moment, he added, "But I wanted to."

Katara smiled grimly. After facing the man who had taken her mother away from her, she understood what Zuko was feeling.

"But you didn't let your anger control you", she said. "You didn't let it change you."

She felt him nod slightly against her shoulder.

"I didn't let it change me, not because I didn't want it to at times, but because I made a promise", he told her.

He explained about his last memory of his mother.

She had awoken him late at night, and had told him to always remember who he was.

"Those were the last words she ever spoke to me", he said. "I've never forgotten them. And I've never forgetten who I am."

Katara listened in amazement, thinking about all the years that Zuko had endured a life of fear, of being without his mother, and of repressing all the anger he felt toward his father.

She realized that they had more in common than she had ever thought.

After several moments of silence, Katara spoke.

"You were strong", she said. "So much stronger than you should have needed to be. And you are still strong Zuko. You've kept your promise."

Zuko raised his head, and wiped away any remaining tears.

"Thank you, Katara", he said

"You've been there for me", she replied. "I can be there for you."

She paused for a short moment before adding, "And I'm glad it was you."

Zuko smiled a little.

"I'm glad it was you here tonight", he said. "I can't imagine sharing all of that with anyone else."

Katara smiled at him, and began to blush at his words, though she wasn't sure why. He had opened up to her, had confided in her, and had told her he was glad.

But all the same, they were just having a conversation about the past, something that often went on between the group. She and Aang talked about the past all the time.

And yet, though the Airbender was constantly coloring various shades of red in her presence, she had never felt the blood rush to her cheeks as it did now.

And she had never been this close to Zuko, either emotionally or physically.

It was then that she realized they were still tangled in each others arms, and that if anyone saw them, they would assume something was going on between the two.

Katara's heartbeat quickened at the thought of something going on between them. And quickly sped up even more when she recalled that she had thought about the Firebender being this close to her on many occasions over the past several weeks.

Zuko, being so close to Katara, could feel her heart suddenly racing. He looked up from their entangled arms and noticed in the light of the moon that her cheeks were a deep rose color.

He suddenly realized they were entangled in what could be considered an intimate way. He looked into her eyes and was about to extricate himself, but out of the corner of his eye, he saw Katara raise her free hand.

He continued looking into her eyes, and she into his, as her hand came to rest lightly on his scarred cheek.

She gently caressed the side of his face, and stroked the scarred skin. Zuko's own heart began to jump in his chest.

The last time Katara had touched his scar, he had been ashamed of it, and had practically begged her to heal him when he had found out it could be possible to be rid of his mark.

Now, as her cool, light fingers traced his scar once more, he felt that it was no longer a mark, but a part of him. A defining feature. Something that he was proud of.

He had been proud of it for some time, ever since he had faced his father and left his home to join Team Avatar. But now, with Katara so gently caressing his scarred cheek, he felt that he was no longer the only one who didn't see it as his mark.

Zuko was so lost in thought, that he didn't notice Katara leaning forward. Now he could see her large, deep blue eyes just inches from his.

Slowly, Katara closed the distance between them, and placed her lips upon his scar.

His eyes widened at her unexpected action, and then closed as he felt her soft, warm lips trace his scar, as her fingers had.

He was shocked by how each kiss, each stroke of her lips against his skin sent a small shiver of pleasure through him.

He had been close with Mai of course, and she had touched his scar many times. However this new feeling was nothing like Zuko remembered. When Mai had touched his face, he had always felt ashamed.

He had even wondered many times if his scar caused Mai discomfort. But he had never asked her.

With Katara, he didn't need to. He could feel that she understood that it was more then just an imperfection, but a part of him.

When at last Katara's lips left his scar and trailed down to his jaw bone, Zuko's heart was pounding so loudly in his chest, he wondered if she could hear it.

If he was being honest with himself, he had wanted this for some time. He had always thought the Watertribe girl was beautiful, but he had also always known that nothing could ever become of his attraction toward her.

They had been enemies.

That thought had repeated in Zuko's mind quite often lately. "They had been enemies."

And for the past several weeks traveling with Katara and the others, Zuko had at times wondered if anything could possibly change between them now that they were on the same side.

Now he had his answer.

Suddenly, and without warning, Katara's lips left his skin.

He felt cold. An odd sensation for him. It was as if she had ignited his inner flame, and put it out again in just mere moments.

"I'm sorry", whispered Katara as she pushed herself back from him, untangling their limbs and blushing an even deeper red then before. "I don't know what came over me."

Zuko stared at her in shock, then in understanding.

To his knowledge, Katara had never been that affectionate with anyone. Not even with Aang, who everyone in the group knew had his eyes on the Waterbender.

Thinking of Aang, Zuko also realized that perhaps that was why she had suddenly pulled away.

Maybe she did feel affection for the Airbender.

The very thought made Zuko's body temperature rise, and he held back the urge to breath smoke through his nostrils, an old reflex from his frustrating days of banishment.

He controled his reaction, and his thoughts before he spoke.

"I'm sorry as well", he said. "I shouldn't have let anything happen."

Katara nodded. "It's not your fault though, I was the one who kissed you", she said.

Zuko half smiled. "Well I didn't exactly stop you", he said.

Katara let out a small laugh, and though Zuko missed the feel of her close to him already, he knew he couldn't just assume she had felt what he had.

And even if she had felt it, he couldn't rush this. Whatever this was.

"It's late", he said after a moment.

"It'll be sunrise soon", agreed Katara.

Zuko slid off the rock and stood with his hand outstretched to her. "Come on", he said, "I'll walk you back to the house."

Katara took his hand in hers as he helped her off the large rock, and was glad that he wasn't angry with her for pushing him away.

They walked back to the house in silence, though neither of them realeased their hold on the others hand.

Just as Zuko could feel the strange electricity between them, so could Katara. And it continued to be present even when they simply held hands, which was why she couldn't release her hold on him.

She enjoyed the small charge that flowed between them.

And when Katara had first embraced Zuko on the rocks, she had felt her skin tingle where it met his. And when she had allowed her self control to slip away momentarily and kissed his cheek and jawline, she had felt as if her lips were on fire.

It had been nearly impossible to stop from reaching his lips, but she didn't want to force anything upon him when he was in such an emotional state.

And she herself was still sorting through the events and emotional ups and downs of the past several days.

Perhaps that hadn't been the best time to let her self control slide...

When they eventually reached the house, Zuko continued to lead Katara inside. Only when he reached the door to her bedroom did he release her hand.

"Goodnight Katara", he whispered softly.

Katara chuckled quietly. "Good morning Zuko", she whispered back.

She was just about to enter her room, when she felt his hand lightly grasp her shoulder. "What is it Zuko?", she asked.

He hesitated, but then spoke quietly and quickly, "Katara, I don't want to push you, or force you to do anything you don't want to, but I just wanted to know if maybe... that is if you wouldn't mind..."

The nervousness in his voice was apparent and endearing. He was blushing slightly, a sight rarely seen.

Katara had to smile at him.

She raised her hand and placed her fingers over his mouth, interrupting him.

"What are you trying to say?", she asked him in a whisper, though she had a feeling she already knew.

He gazed into her eyes and decided to take a chance. He didn't want to push her, this young woman who was both strong and sensitive, but he needed to know if she had felt the same thing he had.

He was too nervous to ask her, so instead he lightly grasped her arm, pulling her hand away from his face, pulled her close, and crushed his mouth to hers.

He had wanted to kiss her gently, but the moment their lips met, it was as if sparks of fire errupted somewhere deep within him. He kissed her passionatly, and was thrilled to notice that she was kissing him back just as forcefully.

Her hands wrapped around his neck as she stood on her toes, and her fingers wound their way into his dark, messy hair.

Neither of them cared that they were standing half in the hallway and half in her bedroom. Or that someone could wake up at any moment and find them there.

They didn't care what anyone would think regardless.

All that mattered was the closeness they had shared that night. And that they both felt the same strange fire whenever they touched.

When they finally broke apart, Zuko brushed his lips softly against Katara's once more before whispering "I'm glad it was you."

Katara smiled, and before removing her arms from around Zuko's neck, she pulled him back down to her so she could lightly kiss his scar. "I'm glad I found you", she whispered back.

After they parted, Zuko stepped out into the hall and walked slowly back to his room after one last longing look at Katara as she slowly closed her door.

When Zuko reached his own room, he opened the curtains and watched as the first rays of sunlight began to color the beach, and spread their way into the house.

It had been a long time since he had watched a sunrise and felt the heat of his element awaken the fire within him. The inner fire that all Firebenders were aware of.

He suddenly remembered something he had once told Katara, back when they were enemies... "You rise with the moon. I rise with the sun"...

He chuckled, remembering.

And as he felt the heat of the sun on his skin, and the fire within him already awoken, he knew that it was no longer the sun that ignited his inner fire.

It was the closeness of a certain enchanting Waterbender.

Katara.


	2. Chapter 2 - Appearances

**Chapter 2 - Apperances**

The next day Katara awoke late in the day. At first she was disoriented, thoughts of the ocean's tide, the feel of sand on her feet, the feel of warm hands caressing her face and soft yet strong lips parting hers, filled her head.

After a moment the thoughts drifted into focus, and she recalled the night before and all that had been said and done.

She felt herself blush, and smiled at the memory of Zuko's hand in hers as they walked back to the house. Of how he had lingered, hesitant and shy, by her door. The feel of his lips on hers, scorching her in the most desirable way...

A sudden knock at her door made her jump, and brought her thoughts back to the present.

"Yes?", she called out, her heartbeat returning to normal after being startled.

"Katara?", Aang asked. "It's nearly mid-day, I didn't want to wake you but we were suppose to train with Toph."

Katara looked out the the open double doors to the balcony, noticing the direction of the sun's rays.

She quickly got up and made her way to the dresser to change. "I'll be out in a minute and meet you in the forest", she called back.

Just a short walk from the house was a clearing in the forest with a stream nearby where there was ample room for sparing. Aang still needed to work on his Earthbending, and Toph had thought he would gain more experience if he was fighting off two benders of opposing elements at once.

After she was dressed and had combed out her hair, Katara exited her room. Before making her way down the long hall, she glanced back toward Zuko's room. The door was closed, though she knew he would be up already. The Firebender was always up early.

She wondered where Zuko was right that moment, but then remembered that he often disappeared when he wasn't training with Aang, talking stratagy with the rest of the group, or helping around the house.

Her spirits immediatley dimmed at this realization. She longed to see him again. Their night on the beach and that early morning kiss seemed almost too good to be true. Dreamlike.

And she longed to see that dream again.

As she made her way outside her spirits brightened some, and once she reached the forest she was very cheerful. She could feel the water in the plants and trees, and could hear small creatures living and breathing around her. Nature always had a way of making her feel happy and peaceful.

The moment she reached the center of the clearing a rock the size of a fist went flying past her.

"You're late Sugarqueen! Gonna pay for that!", she heard Toph yell from across the vast space.

Katara summoned a thick stream of water from nearby and surrounded herself protectivly. "Just remember we're training Aang here", she shouted back. But she smiled, and sent a small sliver of ice toward her friend.

Toph felt the Waterbender move her arm and ducked out of the way.

"I'll try to keep that in mind", Toph replied.

Just then Aang made his way out of the forest, his eyes covered by his old headband.

"Ready when you are", he announced.

Toph began the sparring by sending a torrent of small and medium boulders at Aang, who deflected them all by moving through the field swiftly. As he got closer to the center of the clearing the size of the boulders increased.

At the same time, he was periodically redirecting attacks from Katara, and sending them at each of his opponents.

Katara deflected the counterattacks easily, but after ten minutes Toph finally lost her balance as Aang drenched her with water and then turned what remained on the ground into ice.

"Hey!", she shouted, but it was too late.

She was down and blind without her connection to the earth. Aang took his chance and encased the icey area with earth, making sure it wasn't close enough for Toph to touch.

He then turned his focus to Katara, while keeping Toph in the back of his mind, should she escape quickly.

He barely dodged a waterwhip, but was able to slide under it in time. He then used his Airbending to send him flying high into the sky at top speed.

As he crashed back to the ground he sent a giant aftershock in every direction.

Katara lost her balance and just as she regained her footing she was encased in ice. She quickly turned it back into water and lashed out at her opponent, but he was too quick and without warning Katara's arms were pinned to her sides with earthen restraints.

She attempted to bend using just her leg movements, but just as she summoned a wave of water Aang froze the ground under her and just like Toph she fell to the icey ground, defeated.

Aang removed the headband from his eyes and viewed the field. It was completely torn apart, but he had won the sparring match.

He smiled brightly.

"Um, Aang?", Katara asked, turning his attention away from the field. She looked down at her restraints and then back at Aang. "A little help please."

"Oh! Right, sorry Katara", he said as he removed the rock encasing half of Katara's body.

She streched out her arms for a moment, winced slightly, then reached out her left arm and summoned a thin stream of water. She formed a healing glove and placed it on her right wrist, the water began to glow a slightly bluish tint.

Aang rushed over to her. "Katara I'm so sorry, I wasn't trying to hurt you, I..." he was silenced by Katara splashing him with the water she had just finished using.

"Don't be silly Aang", she said. "It was just sore was all. And we were sparing to teach you offense and defense. You've improved greatly."

Aang rubbed his neck nervously and blushed slightly at the Waterbender's praise. "Thanks, Katara", he said.

Katara smiled at him. She was so proud of him for coming so far so soon. She reached out and hugged him lightly.

Aang smiled again, and felt his heartbeat speed up at the unexpected hug. Katara also felt his heartbeat, and realized again, too late, that he was reading more into her actions than he should.

She knew she should talk with him, but every time she looked into his soft and innocent grey eyes all of her resolve to set him straight vanished. She couldn't hurt him.

She thought this as she hugged him, and released her hold, knowing that to linger would make things worse.

Especially now that she and Zuko...

Before she could finish the thought and try to define what she and the Firebender had become, there was a deafening crack and Toph emerged from her earthen and ice prison.

"Nice moves Twinkletoes", she said as she made her way toward her friends. "But next time", she added, "Don't take so long to strike. You were too hesitant. You could have beaten me much sooner if you had put more effort into your offensive moves."

Aang nodded in understanding. "Yes Sifu Toph", he said.

"That's enough for today", Toph replied. "Let's get back to the house, I'm starving."

"You're starting to sound like my brother", Katara observed as they exited the field.

"Haven't eaten since early this morning is all", Toph waved away the observation, which Katara found strange. Normally Toph would love to be compared to Sokka. Or to be the topic of Sokka's conversation. Or to be in agreement with Sokka.

Anything involving Sokka usually made Toph smile, and Katara knew the reason why. Perhaps the little Earthbender was finally accepting of Suki and Sokka as a couple, and had decided to move on.

Katara hoped so. She had been worried about Toph when Sokka and Suki had become more serious. She wanted her friends to be happy.

Again, she thought of telling Aang how she felt, and wondered if he would be angry with her, or glad that she had found happiness. Even if it wasn't with him.

As they arrived back at the house Sokka and Suki were visable on the front porch. Sokka was animated as he recounted to Suki the story of when he had come up with the stink bomb idea to defeat a small army of Fire Nation soilders at the Northern Air Temple.

She laughed every so often, and watched Sokka with warm eyes full of affection.

Everybody took a seat to listen in on the story, made more interesting by Suki's expressions.

After awhile however Katara grew less interested in the story, one she had heard countless times, and looked out toward the ocean. She concentrated on the push and pull of the waves for some time.

Suddenly everybody started laughing, and a voice filled with curiousity spoke.

"What did I miss?"

Katara looked away from the ocean instantaniously as her eyes sought the face that belonged to that voice.

She quickly found what she sought and felt her heart thud loudly in her chest. She had waited all day to see him again, and now her eyes traced every inch of his face. He looked at her for a moment, and when their eyes met Katara felt as if something that had been missing throughout the day had finally been found.

Zuko walked into the cirlce of friends and sat in the chair farthest from Katara, next to Toph. He focused on Sokka and Suki, not looking in Katara's direction again.

Katara's heart sank, and disappointment washed through her. The way he had just looked at her, it had appeared he was as happy to see her as she was to see him. And after the events of the night before she had thought...

She wasn't sure what to think now.

"Nothing much", Toph replied to Zuko's question.

Sokka glared at her. "Nothing much?", he accused. "Just the story of how I saved an entire Air Temple!", he said, throwing his hands in the air for effect.

Zuko smiled slightly. "I see", he said. "It's too bad I missed it."

Sokka grinned.

"Oh now he's done it", Toph said as she jabbed her finger at Zuko.

Sokka immediately launched into the story once again, from the beginning.

Aang and Toph groaned and got up to leave, though everyone else stayed in their seats.

Aang stopped by Katara's chair and rested his hand on her shoulder, "Do you want to go down to the beach?", he asked her, his voice full of enthusiasm.

Katara didn't notice, focusing on Aang, but Zuko had looked in their direction when the Airbender spoke. His eyes had tightened slightly when he saw Aang's hand resting on Katara's shoulder. How she didn't object to the contact.

Had he been wrong to assume that there was nothing between the two? Was what they shared last night nothing more than a combination of emotion and the need for comfort?

No. Zuko would not allow those thoughts to enter his mind. He could see it in the Waterbender's eyes last night, and just now. A light that hadn't been there before. And a light he had never seen when she looked at Aang.

"No thanks", Katara answered the Airbender. "I'm kind of worn out from the sparing match earlier."

Zuko turned his eyes back to Sokka and Suki, but the smile on his face had nothing to do with the joke Sokka had just made about a man who had once blown off his eyebrows.

"Are you feeling alright?", Aang asked Katara. "You slept half the day."

Katara nodded. "I feel fine", she answered him. More than fine actually. More alive than ever inside. "You and Toph can go", she added.

Aang looked at her a moment longer, then nodded and departed.

Katara turned her back on the ocean and her departing friends, and settled into her chair more comfortably as she listened to Sokka's story. Or rather, pretended to listen. She was in fact stealing every glance she could at the Firebender across from her, the real reason she hadn't wanted to go to the beach.

She hadn't seen him all day, and she felt the need to be around him.

A need that hadn't been there since the previous night. Or perhaps it had just been dormant until then. Katara pondered this as she alternated between watching Sokka and glancing at Zuko.

She caught him doing the same, and after a while he got up silently and walked into the house.

As he passed her, he grazed her bare shoulder with his hand, and she felt a slight tingle that reminded her of how he seemed to set her ablaze whenever they touched.

A few moments later, not too soon as to be noticed by Sokka and Suki, she followed him into the house.

She checked the living room, then the dining room. Both were empty. As she walked into the kitchen her wrist was suddenly encased in a large, warm hand and she was gently pulled into a strong embrace.

She rested her head against his chest, and after a moment of breathing in his scent, something she had never been able to fully register until right then, her arms found their way around his neck.

Just as Katara lifted her head from Zuko's chest, his arms settled on her waist and he lifted her up onto her toes so she could reach his lips easier.

They kissed slowly at first. Both hesitant in what the other would want. But as they grew more sure of themselves, the kiss deepened with every brush of their lips.

They pulled away slowly, reluctantly, after a few moments to catch their breath, resting their foreheads against each other, eyes open and locked. The deep blue ocean staring into the golden ring of the sun.

Katara moved her arms from around his neck, and wound them around his waist to hold him close. He kissed her forhead as she did so and she closed her eyes, savoring the moment.

"Missed you", he whispered to her.

"Me too", she replied, sighing contentedly.

He chuckled.

She pulled away from him then, and looked into his eyes hesitently.

"What's wrong?", he asked her.

"Nothing really", she said. "I was just...I thought you might spend more time around me after last night."

Zuko's smile quickly faded.

"Unless you don't want to", Katara added hurridly. Perhaps she had misread everything. Maybe he didn't feel the same. But after that kiss...and his arms still wrapped around her...

Again, she did not know what to think. So she finished her thought and continued to speak, "I don't want you to feel obligated just because of what was said last night."

Zuko removed his right hand from Katara's waist and gently caressed her face. Katara leaned into his touch.

"I want nothing more than to be with you", he said softly. "To talk to you, to look at you, and to feel you in my arms." He gazed at her with such intensity as he said this that all of Katara's fears vanished even before he was finished speaking. "I just didn't want to force my company on you", he said.

Katara smiled, happier than ever.

"It wasn't that long ago that you hated me after all", Zuko added, although there was a hint of playful teasing in his words.

A small laugh escaped Katara's lips and then she reached up, standing on her toes, to kiss his unscared cheek.

"I never hated you", she told him. "I was just upset with you. And with myself."

Zuko rested his forehead against hers once again. "I'm glad you feel differently now", he said, serious again.

They stayed that way for a few moments, not speaking, just enjoying each other's company after the long day apart.

Zuko was the one to break the silence. "I had another reason for keeping my distance today though", he said.

Katara raised her eyebrows at him, curious.

"The others, including your brother, might not approve", he said. "Normally I wouldn't care what others think, but I've come to like everyone here."

After taking a deep breath, he added "And then there's Aang."

Katara nodded, understanding.

"I need to tell him", she said. "To make him understand how I feel. That I just don't...that I just...", she trailed off.

Zuko held her close again, his heart flooding with relief at the Waterbender's words. He had been concerned that she had feelings for Aang, even after the beach, and the kiss...

"It's alright", he told her. "We'll figure something out. I don't want to hurt him either."

It was true, Zuko had come to think of Aang as a good friend. It would be a shame to ruin their friendship over this. But while Zuko knew that Katara was free to choose who she wanted, he also knew how strongly the Airbender felt for her.

As Zuko pondered what they would eventually tell Aang, Katara felt her heart swell with joy at the words he had spoken. He was able to read her so easily, now that she gave him the chance.

"After we figure that out, I don't care what the others think", she told him quietly. "It's none of their business who I care about."

Though as she said the words with confidence and defiance, she felt a tinge of fear grip her. What would Aang think of her?...

Zuko chuckled, realizing that he felt the same. Though he would hate to offend Sokka, who he had grown closer to after their adventure to the Boiling Rock prison. It would be rough for Katara if Aang reacted badly, but it would be even harder on her if Sokka reacted badly as well.

"It might be of importance though, to your brother at least", Zuko ventured.

Katara gazed up at him. "Maybe. But I can make my own decisions", she told him.

"And for that, I am exceptionally glad", he replied. "I just think that when it comes time for them to know, that you should tell Sokka first, privately."

Katara grimaced.

"Or I can be there with you", Zuko offered, seeing her expression.

"That would make it better for me at least", she said. "But I can handle it, I just don't want to have that discussion with him yet."

The Firebender nodded. "I can understand that", he said. "Afterall, we've only had a day really."

"It feels like longer", Katara replied, blushing slightly.

She realized after she said the words just how true they were. She had been paying more and more attention to the newest addition of the group, and now all those glances and pondering thoughts made it feel as though they had been close for some time.

"We'll wait until you're ready to tell them", Zuko said. "Until then, we should act as if nothing has changed."

Katara's face fell.

"Just around them", he added, a slight smile on his lips. "When we're alone things can be different."

"How much alone time do you think we can steal?", Katara asked hopefully.

"As much as you want", he told her. "After everyone's gone to sleep we could escape to the beach for a while if you want", he suggested.

"I like that idea", Katara replied.

"Until midnight then", he said as he lifted her face to his as he leaned down and captured her lips in a passionate kiss that left Katara's head swimming when he pulled away a moment later.

"It's going to take me some time to get use to that", she observed.

"We have time", he told her, and his heart beat quickened at the thought. How he wanted so much time with her.

He thought momentarily of the impending battle against his homeland, against his own father. And for a split second he wondered for the first time not if they would be victorious in saving the Earth Kingdom, and the world, but if they would all make it out alive...

He didn't want Katara to see the turn his thoughts had taken in his eyes, so he pushed away the unpleasent thoughts to the back of his mind, to be visited another time. He then took her hand in his and lead her out of the kitchen.

They paused just inside the doorway, where Sokka and Suki couldn't see them. Zuko reached out to caress Katara's face briefly, and she leaned into his touch once more. Zuko smiled at the woman before him, and realized just how incredible his world could become with her in it.

"All the time in the world", he whispered to her.

She squeezed his hand.

Then they released their hold, and walked out onto the porch in time to hear the end of Sokka's story. They took the same seats as before, as far away as possible from each other.

The distance bothered Katara, but she knew it wouldn't last forever.

Zuko was wishing just as much as Katara that they could be closer.

But each of them were comforted by one simple word, spoken earlier.

Midnight.

 **To my readers, I apologize for the extremely long wait for this second chapter. A combination of writers block and life have left me either little time or no inspiration for writing over the past few months. However I finally was able to finish this chapter, and chapter three has been started. I hope to update much more frequently from now on. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please feel free to leave a review, or go ahead and favorite this story, there is much more to come.**


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